The Not So Little Mermaid
by Lavenrith
Summary: The Little Mermaid you thought you knew from the Disney movie didn't exactly get her happily ever after. Now she is a bitter, moody, overweight princess ruling over the river next to Ferryport Landing.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** _I just felt like writing a short story on what happens to the Little Mermaid and the prince. Love it or hate it? Let me know. :\ And thank you in advance if you took the time to read this story. Really appreciate it. (:_

The Not So Little Mermaid

"Untie me this instant!" the prince struggled with the ropes that Daphne had wrapped him in. She pushed him into a small boat and began rowing with all her might. She stopped once they were in the middle of the river. Daphne pulled out a fishing pole with a filthy worm on the hook and cast the line into the water. Moments later, the water around them started bubbling wildly. Instead of a school of fish, an army of muscular mermen bursted into the surface. They held out tridents and pointed them at Daphne and the prince threateningly. Behind the army was a huffing and puffing overweight mermaid with fiery red hair.

"Grimm!" she sneered as she caught her breath. Daphne had noticed she had lost a bit of weight compared to the last time they had seen each other. The mermaid saw Daphne eyeing her new figure and bragged, "That's right. I'm getting myself together again. I've been swimming more lately and I've also been eating nothing but kelp salad." She twirled proudly. "Now, what kind of fool would come back to this river when they know perfectly well that almost 10 years ago, I swore I would have them killed? I could smell your thieving behind all the way from my kingdom."

"I've brought someone with me," Daphne calmly pointed to the prince.

"YOU?" The mermaid glared at him. "How dare you bring him over here?"

"I know you didn't get your happily ever after, and I really want you guys to work it out," said Daphne. "Just like in the movie."

"That movie was a LIE!" The mermaid shrieked. "We didn't end up getting married nor have a child named Melody! No, he left me for some other woman! A topsider. After all I gave up for him. My voice, leaving my family behind, the pain that felt like I was stepping on swords every time I walked with those horrible human legs! But no matter how painful it was, I still managed to smile because I got to see his face. I risked everything for him! But even though he broke my heart, I couldn't kill him. How stupid was I? It's pitiful that I still loved him then. I was to turn into sea foam if it wasn't for my father who gave up his life in exchange for mine. And now here I am the mermaid who has taken his place, Ruler of these waters. The little mermaid from all those years ago is no longer here. She had a heart. Something you won't find in me."

"Ari?" The prince looked at the mermaid. "Is it really you?"

"Don't call me that!" she snapped.

"Ari, I'm sorry." The prince's face fell. "I-I-I didn't know. I thought the temple girl had saved me that day."

"Hmph!" The mermaid crossed her arms.

"Well, we're no longer together. She left me for a younger man. One with a full set of hair." He ran his fingers through the thinning dark locks on his head.

"HA! I hope your heart broke the way mine did!" She said coldly.

"It did. I was in so much pain; I didn't know what to do with my life anymore. And now I'm this pathetic man living with his mummy and daddy again." He leaned in towards the mermaid. "I'm sorry Ari. I'm sorry for everything I made you go through."

The princess lifted her head in surprise and commanded her army of mermen to lower their tridents. "I didn't think I'd ever hear that from you."

"Well believe it. All this time I had gone after the wrong girl, but now I know who the one for me really is. I've never forgotten you." The prince took the mermaid's hands in his own as Daphne untied him. "The truth is that woman and I never really had anything in common. She wasn't that great at dancing or singing. Heck, she couldn't even swim! That's when I started having doubts if she was the one that saved me. Ari, you're beautiful inside and out and I love you. Will you take me back?"

The mermaid took the prince's face in her hands as she leaned in and stared deeply into his eyes. She smiled sweetly as she softly caressed his cheek. "Eat. Your. Heart. Out." She snarled.


	2. Chapter 2

"Kill them," the princess said through gritted teeth. "Don't worry Grimm; I'll mail back your rotting carcass to that sister of yours. Or maybe I'll send bits and pieces of you to every member in your family." She then turned and headed back towards her underwater kingdom. Her army of merman instantly raised their tridents and pointed them at Daphne and the prince. Daphne nudged him as if telling him to do something to save their lives.

"Wait!" the prince said desperately. "I know the old Ari is still somewhere in there."

The mermaid froze for a moment but shook her head and continued swimming. The pointy tridents nearly pierced Daphne's neck when she impulsively kicked the prince in the shin. He gasped as he bit his tongue to keep from howling in pain. Daphne began humming a soft melody and suddenly the prince's eyes lit up.

He cleared his throat and began to sing with a deep, smooth voice, "I've got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty, and I've got whozits and whatzits galore. You want thingamabobs? I've got twenty! But who cares…"

"No big deal …" The princess sang in a soft, sweet voice along with the prince. "I want moooore."

"I wanna be where the people are. I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'. Walking around on those – what do you call 'em?" They sang together.

"Oh – feet!" The mermaid giggled. She shooed her army and swam back towards the boat. "You watched the movie too?"

The prince nodded and laughed. "It's ridiculous how good looking they made me in that film. Yup. No bald spots."

The mermaid smiled, "I think you look handsome even without all of your hair."

"You're too kind," he grinned. "But I think the way they made the Sea Witch was pretty accurate. They got all her ugliness in there."

"She was ugly wasn't she?" the mermaid snorted.

"Aw, this is so trammy!" Daphne squealed in excitement and began biting her palm. The prince and the mermaid looked at her in confusion. "It's my new word for romantic, dreamy and lovey-dovey," Daphne explained as if it were totally obvious.

The mermaid shook her head. "Look little girl, don't get any ideas."

Daphne gasped, "I AM NOT A LITTLE GIRL! I am eighteen! Just because I'm rather short for my age doesn't mean I'm still a child." She crossed her arms angrily.

The prince ignored Daphne and turned his attention to the mermaid. "Ari, so what do you say? Will you give me another chance?"

"I-I-I don't know," the princess closed her eyes. "You broke my heart Eric."

"Just give me one last chance and I promise to make it up to you," he lifted her chin.

The princess was silent for a moment then quietly said, "Okay. I'll give you another chance. But you better not mess it up again or I swear I will feed you to the CRUEL CRUSTACEAN!"

Eric leaned in for a kiss but the princess blocked him with her hands. "Not so fast buddy. This time I want to take things nice and slow."

He grinned and said, "Okay I'm fine with that. We are Everafters anyway. We have all of eternity."

"Yeah but technically it's still possible to kill an Everafter. It's just harder than killing humans…" Daphne piped up.

"You're ruining the moment kid," Eric rolled his eyes. Daphne growled once she heard the word _kid._

"Well, Grimm. I guess your visit today wasn't such a waste. I shall spare your life for now." The princess nodded to Daphne. She then turned to face Eric. "Would you like to visit my kingdom and my family? My sisters will be so surprised."

Eric nodded excitedly. "Yes please, but I can't exactly breathe under—"

The mermaid swiftly threw an orange starfish at his head. "Ow!" he rubbed his forehead and nearly toppled over. She then pulled him into the water.

"Now run along Grimm before I change my mind about sparing your life." She passed Daphne the oars and even helped push her boat.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to get rid of me." Daphne muttered. "Anyways, I knew it would all work out! Call me when you guys have your wedding! I can plan it, just like I did with Puck and Sabrina's. It's a miracle that I even got Puck into that tuxedo and he managed to keep it nice and clean! Sabrina really has helped him get rid of some of his messy habits." Daphne waved at Eric and the princess. "I hope you guys have lots of merbabies!"

The mermaid rolled her eyes and took the prince's hand as they dove underwater and disappeared. Before her army of mermen followed, they put their hands together and mouthed _thank you _to Daphne.

"You're welcome boys!" Daphne smiled. "I hope she's a lot easier on you guys. I have a feeling the Cruel Crustacean will go hungry for a while."


End file.
